THE LAND AND TARIFFS. 185 



ization of a community for the benefit of its 

 members can well include in the scope of its 

 operations the supervision and control, in a 

 measure, of the currents of trade and the progress 

 of production and manufacture ; imposing bar- 

 riers in the shape of customs duties against 

 imports which compete to the disadvantage of 

 local industries ; imposing other barriers, per- 

 haps, against imports which are not injuriously 

 competitive, for the purpose of letting down 

 those barriers to certain privileged nations with 

 a view to reciprocal concessions to British im- 

 ports. It is the essence of the Protectionist 

 case that cheap imports can be an evil when 

 their effect threatens to be the destruction or 

 diminution of the local industry with which 

 they compete, and especially when they are 

 " dumped " goods, sent to a Free Trade market 

 to be sold at unprofitable rates, with the purpose 

 of beating down a competitor and taking over 

 his business. 



In a sentence, the Free Trade policy is non- 

 interference, non-regulation. The Protectionist 

 policy is that the power of the State can and 

 should be used to help its industries. 



